Progress: $53,514 of $200,000 raised.
Her student was struggling to understand the words. A native Spanish speaker, the student sometimes had trouble with comprehension when reading in English.
That’s when Dee stepped in. Without missing a beat, she began to ask her student questions about the reading – in Spanish. The nervous child lit up. Together, they re-read the story in English, then discussed it in Spanish.
Dee’s fellow tutors were shocked and impressed. After months of working with Dee, they knew she was patient, dependable, and friendly. But, they had no idea she spoke Spanish.
In fact, Dee – a 9th grader at Coolidge High School – speaks five languages: English, Spanish, French, Susu and Maninka. And, she plans to teach herself Italian and Portuguese. But, it’s not her language skills alone that make her an exceptional tutor. Dee loves working with children, and it shows. Her Whittier student has even started to call Dee a “best friend”.
After she graduates from high school and college, Dee wants to continue working with children or become an interpreter. We think she’ll have a bright future, no matter which path she chooses. In the meantime, she will continue to be #AlwaysThere for her little best friend.
All this month, we will be sharing stories about members of the Reach community that are #AlwaysThere for the organization and those we serve. Diarou (aka "Dee") is a ninth grade student at Coolidge Senior High School.
If inspired, make a gift here to support our 2020 #AlwaysThere campaign.
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